SaskForward formed in 2016 in response to the provincial government’s announcement that it would embark on a process of “transformational change” in healthcare, education, transportation, and other public services.

We conducted a province-wide consultation process in 2017 to offer the people of Saskatchwan the opportunity to respond to the government’s transformational change agenda in the lead-up to the 2017 provincial budget. We asked people to answer the question, “What transformational change would you introduce to make Saskatchewan a happier, healthier, and more prosperous place for all?”

We received an outpouring of suggestions from individuals and groups on a wide variety of issues. The overwhelming consensus from our consultation was a widespread desire to protect the programs and services that ordinary people in Saskatchewan rely on. Respondents were unified in their call for their government to respond to the deficit by considering new revenue sources, including more balanced corporate and business taxes and a more progressive income tax system.

The government chose instead to proceed with a series of deep cuts and unfair tax increases in their 2017 budget. We believe this budget harms the majority of people in the province by slashing the public services they rely on, while simultaneously benefiting corporations and the province’s most wealthy with tax breaks. As our consultation clearly demonstrated, there is another way. SaskForward will continue to offer fair and just alternatives to the government’s short-sighted focus on austerity and promote a common vision for a more progressive future for our province.